To travel on the Orient Express. I am a huge Agatha Christie fan and this seems like the most glamorous travel experience ever. I actually had the chance to do it one (for free!) and had to pass on the trip. Never quite forgave myself for it.

4. Do you have pets?

Only fish. I had a humongous saltwater reef tank for year before my kids were born. After we had our daughters I couldn’t handle the upkeep on the reef tank, so we downgraded to a small fresh water tank.

5. When I wake up every morning I… hit the snooze and read in bed for as long as I can.

8. What do you hope readers will experience or gain when reading your stories?

First, an escape from everyday life. That’s I think why most of us read fiction, especially romance. With every novel I try to craft an engaging, exciting story that will keep readers turning the pages. Then I hope I can broaden a reader’s mind through maybe the time period, the setting, or the struggles of people during that time. We like to think we’ve come so far in modern times, but many of our problems are the same as our ancestors. I’m a big believer that we have to understand history in order to know how to not to repeat it.

Meet Joanna Shupe

Award-winning author JOANNA SHUPE has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. In 2013 she won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart® Award for Best Historical.

Joanna’s first Gilded Age historical novel, Magnate, was named one of the Best Books of 2016 by Publishers Weekly, and one of 2016′s top romances by The Washington Post and Kobo. The Washington Post named Joanna’s The Lady Hellion as one of 2015’s top five romance novels.

She currently lives in New Jersey with her two spirited daughters and dashing husband.

A Daring Arrangement

Set in New York City’s Gilded Age, Joanna Shupe’s Avon debut introduces an English beauty with a wicked scheme to win the man she loves—and the American scoundrel who ruins her best laid plans…

Lady Honora Parker must get engaged as soon as possible, and only a particular type of man will do. Nora seeks a mate so abhorrent, so completely unacceptable, that her father will reject the match—leaving her free to marry the artist she loves. Who then is the most appalling man in Manhattan? The wealthy, devilishly handsome financier, Julius Hatcher, of course…

Julius is intrigued by Nora’s ruse and decides to play along. But to Nora’s horror, Julius transforms himself into the perfect fiancé, charming the very people she hoped he would offend. It seems Julius has a secret plan all his own—one that will solve a dark mystery from his past, and perhaps turn him into the kind of man Nora could truly love.

Hi Lisa! Ideas come from almost everywhere. Research, actual tidbits from history, things I haven’t yet seen in a romance novel but would like to, etc. With themes, I do try and look at current issues and things we struggle with today that were issues back in the 19th century. It seems that history so often repeats itself, unfortunately. Thanks for the questions!

Hi Alexa! Thank you for the kind words. I grew up reading not Jane Austen, but Edith Wharton. I also lived in both Chicago and New York City, two big Gilded Age cities. So I guess you could say it’s a combination of all those things. I’ve written stories set in Regency, England but I really do love the Gilded Age America best.

Hi Leslie! Where to start?? 🙂 If I’m drafting a book (which is often) I don’t read historicals. So I end up reading a lot of contemporary stories, like Lauren Blakely, Sierra Simone, Mariana Zapata, Molly O’Keefe, and others. When I am able to read historicals, Sarah MacLean, Alyssa Cole, and Cat Sebastian are my current favorites.

It’s such a pleasure having you on the blog today. Love your responses and that signed picture frame is priceless! I hope you get to experience the Orient Express trip soon! I’m enjoying A Daring Arrangement and a question for you is what drew you to write Historical Romances set in America? How was your research for it? I’m fascinated with your story!

Lorelei! Thank you so much for having me. I love the Gilded Age and the strict social rules of New York Knickerbocker society. It’s so similar to the Regency, which every historical reader knows and loves. When I read Edith Wharton in my teens, I had no idea this kind of world even existed so it was fascinating for me to learn more about it. I’ve lived in both Chicago and New York City, so the research for me was steeped in my surroundings and the great Gilded Age buildings still standing. American history is a tricky thing for some readers: they can be turned off by it because we feel like we KNOW IT so well. After all, we’ve been studying it since Kindergarten. But I think it’s important to remember that history has been recorded through a limited lens, one that has historically not been inclusive. I hope to show readers that there is more to learn from our history.

I have never seen the orient express movie. Just one of those that I always meant to and didn’t. But I am looking forward to seeing the newest one. Looks very intriguing. I hope you get to your orient express ride!
Daring Arrangement sounds fabulous. I guess they each ”get theirs”. haha
I wonder, what kind of books do you like to read?

Hi Lisoo! I highly recommend the 1974 version of the movie, with Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, and Albert Finney. It’s the BEST. Not sure I’ll see this adaptation (I can’t get past the mustache).

When I’m drafting a novel I read mostly contemporaries, and my tastes tend to run on the spicy end of the genre. I read historicals when I’m not actively drafting a book. Oh, and I just discovered Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series, which is completely amazing!

I have three daughters and I coached all their softball teams too! 22 different teams in all! It was great fun at the time. Are you going to see the new Murder on the Orient Express movie? I want to go see that one!

Hi Sue! Softball power for the win! I don’t think I’ll see the new MOTOE movie. I’m a big fan of the 1974 version with Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergman, and Lauren Bacall. I love the new cast in the current movie, but I cannot get past the mustache. Poirot would never have worn something so obnoxious! 🙂

I think they all do, actually. When I’m drawing up the character sketch, it’s a fairly flat representation of what I want them to be. It’s only through actual dialogue and movement on the page that they become real to me…and through that, there are all sorts of discoveries along the way. They sort of take shape the more you write them—which probably explains why I usually need to rewrite my opening scenes 4 or 5 times until I’m happy with them.

The Gilded Age is very similar to Regency England, with the fancy clothes, money, parties, and strict social constraints. But it’s better in that we have some of the modern technology that we can relate to, like the telephone, trains, and modern plumbing. 🙂

I’ve always been writing, even from a young age. I went to school and got a journalism degree (I wanted to work for ESPN. 🙂 ). My sister dared me to write a romance novel after college and that was all it took for the idea to take root.

I’ve always loved American history, and the Gilded Age is a fascinating era. I read a lot of Edith Wharton as a teenage, so I fell in love with New York city society at the end of the 19th century. Thanks for stopping by!